The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-03-19
Special Contributors.
TIE POETIC ELEMENT IN JESUS.-siI.
BY REV. NJ d. SHUTTER.
Minneapolis, Mimi

Carlyle, in treating of the poet, makes
much Of the seeing eye, THE fac
uity which enables him to discern the
heart of things and the harmony that
dwells there" His advice to the poet
is, first of all, to see. The poet must
see more than the commonplace in the
common. The ordinary thing is, after
all, the true miracle. Jesus pre-emi-
nently possessed this ''seeing eye" He
finds his heroes where we would not
think of looking for them; the publi-
can in the temple, the prodigal among
the swine, the beggar upon the door
step of Dives palace. He sings of the
true, the beautiful, the good, even when
found in the poor and humble. From
the deep unfathomed caves of every
ocean, he draws forth ''gens of purest
ray serene.' The humbest deeds and
customs he has TRANSPORTED. The shep-
herd seeking his lost sheep III the will
derness, illustrates the seeking Of God
for the lost of the race. The wedding
banquet is picture Of the final joy Of
Che kingdom Thus has the idealizing
power of Jesus lifted common men and
common things from the ordinary level
ans invested them with immortal life
and beauty.
The poetic nature of Jesus is still
farther shown by his sympathy with the
bards and prophets of his own nation,
who lived before him. How often does
he quote Che lofty strains of Isaiah
The passages in which the prophets
sang of light that should shine for the
Gentiles, of one who was 10 preach de-
lverauce to the captiyes and bid the
oppressed go free, Of the suffering ser
want of Jehovah, these were frequent
ly upon bis lips. The symbols in which
the old prophets delighted, he uses when
he speaks of judgment; biaring trum
pet, retinue of angels. The processes
of retributiOn that eyermore take place
in the soul where also the reward is
given, are set forth in terms of imag
nation Falling stars and bloody moon;
darkened sun and quaking earth
thrones, heralds, chariot and trumpet,
-th-se were all borrowed from those
before him WHO spoke of Gods judg
ments upon met and nations. They
We're The poetic imagery in which the
idea of eternal justice was clothed.
Jesus used them rs those before him
had done. He never meant to teach
that literally this brave, Overhanging
armament should shIivei as palched
scroll, and this goodly frame of things
be dissolved. Who reads him, in these
passages, by the letter, must read TO his
own confusion.
This poetic life of Jesus which, in
some of its manifestations, we have en-
deavored to describe, he lived in an
ideal world. While upon the earth,
sharing its joys, tasting its sorrows,
dealing with its sins, he lived in
higher realm,-a region which the eye
could not see, nor the feet enter He
was one with the Father He had meat
of which his hungry disciples knew not.
The unseen world breathed it's life and
beauty about him. His cheek was
famed by breeZes of Paradise. His
eye caught glimpses of the beatifc Wis
ion. The things that moved before
him on earth, were propelled by invisi-
BILE forces. He himself was a king &,
not as men accounted royalty; in a re
gi0n far above the roofs of palaces he
Teigned. When men asked for his credeu-
tials, his banners, his heTalds, hereplied;
The kingdom of God cometh not with
observation; the kingdom Of God is with
in you" In an age when the outward
was everything, he invited men to fol
low him, though he was poorer than
birds and foxes. When Dante walked
the streets of Florence, with that al
together tragic, heaTt-atfecting face. -
men looked upon him and said, Be
hold the man who has been in hell -
When Jesus walked the streets of Je-
Tusalem, his cOuntenance lighted by
the sun behind the sun, behOlders might
have exclaimed, The man who lives in
heaven -
Into this higher world where he
dwelt, and whose glories he constantly
beheld, he sought by all means to draw
humanity. He had a vision of a realm